DHSS Press Release

MORE THAN 20,000 DELAWAREEANS HAVE PICKED A PLAN OR BEEN AUTOMATICALLY RENEWED FOR COVERAGE ON STATE'S HEALTH INSURANCE MARKETPLACE

NEW CASTLE (JAN.21, 2015) - More than 20,000 Delawareans picked a 2015 plan or were automatically re-enrolled in a plan through the
Health Insurance Marketplace as of Jan. 16, according to an estimate released today by the U.S. Department of Health and Human
Services. The total, part of a weekly "snapshot" of enrollment data issued by HHS, follows a report last month that said nearly
9,000 Delawareans had signed up for the first time or had actively re-enrolled in plans from Nov. 15 to Dec. 15, the first month of
open enrollment for coverage in 2015. Open enrollment ends Feb. 15.

"I'm pleased to see that more Delawareans are signing up for coverage," said Rita Landgraf, secretary of the state's Department of
Health and Social Services. "We know activity will increase as we near the Feb. 15 deadline, so we encourage people to sign up now,
especially if they need assistance. To make an appointment with a marketplace guide or to find a list of enrollment locations,
please go to our informational website, ChooseHealthDE.com."

The report said 20,449 Delawareans either picked a plan or were automatically re-enrolled for 2015 coverage as of Jan. 16. By
comparison, 14,397 Delawareans picked a marketplace plan for 2014 coverage during the six-month open enrollment period that ended
last April.

About 83 percent of Delawareans who selected plans in the first month of open enrollment were determined eligible for financial
assistance to lower the cost of their monthly premiums.

Under the Affordable Care Act, most Americans are required to have health insurance or face a financial penalty, which will be
assessed when they do their taxes. The penalty for not being covered in 2014 was $95 per person ($47.50 per child under 18) or 1
percent of annual household income, whichever is higher. (Only the amount above the tax filing threshold of $10,150 is used to
calculate the penalty.) The penalty for not being insured in 2015 will be $325 per person ($162.50 per child under 18) or 2 percent
of annual household income, whichever is higher. In addition to the penalty, an individual or family who doesn't have coverage also
will be 100 percent responsible for any medical expenses they incur. To determine your penalty, use the calculator at ChooseHealthDE.com.

Delaware's Marketplace Guides are available for those who need help applying for coverage on the Marketplace. To contact a guide
and to see a list of enrollment locations, go to ChooseHealthDE.com . To enroll
directly go to HealthCare.gov or call (800) 318-2596.

Delaware Health and Social Services is committed to improving the quality of the lives of Delaware's citizens by promoting health
and well-being, fostering self-sufficiency, and protecting vulnerable populations.